The condition of a home has a direct impact on the value and length of time the home is on the market. Your Diablo Realtor® provides valuable consultation and practical suggestions for presenting your home at its best. First impressions are important. Your agent’s expertise and willingness to work with you on preparing your home for market helps you make that favorable first impression.
Staging Professionals
Many of the Diablo Realtors® have earned the designation of A.S.P., Accredited Staging ProfessionalTM. These agents know and understand the critical aspects of preparing your home for market to bring the highest price for your property. From the curb to the back fence, every detail is analyzed. How you present your home to sell is completely different than how you live in your home. What is done by an A.S.P. is called “staging.”
General Tips to Follow When Preparing Your Home to Sell
- Clean everything thoroughly including carpet, windows and especially the front door.
- Eliminate clutter from all areas of your home to create an impression of spaciousness and plentiful storage space.
- Nothing makes a home look new more quickly than a fresh coat of paint.
- Put out clean towels, new soap, nice flowers.
- Turn on lights, soft music and vacate the premises during showings.
Kitchen
Chances are home buyers will say the kitchen is the most important area or room of the home. When they look at your kitchen, they will pay particular attention to its cleanliness, layout and storage capacity. Your major appliances need to be spotless, odor-free and in good working condition. Fix leaky faucets, loose cabinet hardware, drawer handles. Make efficient use of drawers and cabinets.
Walls
Repair any cracks or holes in the walls and ceiling and repaint if necessary. Strip outdated wallpaper.
Windows
Clean interior and exterior windows and screens. When your home is being shown, open your curtains to let daylight in, especially if the view is noteworthly. Launder or dry clean curtains and drapes. Repair cracked panes, torn screens, and broken sashes.
Floors
Carpeting has a major impact on the look of a home. Prior to showing your home to prospective buyers, vacuum thoroughly or have carpets steam cleaned. If the carpet is badly worn, outdated or stained, consider having it replaced. Check wood floors to see if they need to be refinished. Scrub and wax tile floors and repair or replace cracked tiles.
Lighting
Make sure light fixtures, switches, switchplates and outlet covers are clean and in good working order.
Paint
It’s true that first impressions are often lasting, so take a good look at the paint on the outside of your house. Is it cracking, peeling or chipping? If it is, a fresh coat for your exterior may cost you a bit of time and money, but may elevate your home from “fixer-upper” to “move-in condition.” If you decide your home needs painting, choose colors that are appropriate for the style of your home and that blend in well with your neighborhood.
Roof
Buyers will pay close attention to the condition of your roof. You should patch or re-shingle where necessary. Fix leaky, corroded downspouts and gutters. Inside, a watermarked ceiling is a sign to buyers that the roof has leaked --- even if the damage has been repaired.
Entry
A neat and clean entryway creates a positive first impression. A freshly painted front door and trim with sturdy hardware add a welcome touch. Replace faded house numbers with new ones. Make sure the doorbell is in working order.
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